Investing in Bitcoin: A New Frontier?
On a fateful afternoon in May of 2010, a computer programmer in New York exchanged 10,000 bitcoins for two pies of pizza. At the time, the idea of bitcoin was still hidden in relative obscurity outside of a small circle of enthusiasts, and very few people were paying attention. After all, each bitcoin was valued at only a couple of cents, and it apparently took 5,000 of them to buy a single pizza. Today, if the pizza chef has held on to his bitcoin collection, he is sitting on a fortune valued at $1.2 million dollars!
This begs the question: what exactly are bitcoins, and why should they be on the radar of any serious investor?
Bitcoin, the world’s first major digital currency, has garnered unprecedented attention from the mainstream media and Wall Street alike in recent weeks and months. Essentially, bitcoins are electronic coins that allow individuals to complete transactions which entirely bypass the need to involve financial institutions. Instead of a regulatory authority or a central bank, bitcoin users place their trust in advanced computer cryptology and a pre-set open source algorithm.
Use your holiday budget wisely: exciting destinations on the cheap
The Following Article is a Guest Post. If you’re interested in submitting a guest post please contact me.
The words “budget travel” often conjure up visions of dingy hostel dorms or uniform package resorts on the Spanish coast. Thankfully, you don’t need to spend your last penny or sell your soul to get an exciting holiday on the cheap these days. Many alternative and unusual destinations are overlooked and underwhelmed by tourism, meaning you can soak up some incredible sights at a fraction of the cost. Here are a few ideas on how to use your budget to try somewhere a bit different this year. Many destinations are available through comparison sites such as dealchecker.co.uk, which is a good starting point.
Morocco is a steal of a holiday destination, when you consider that a relatively short flight time can land you in another continent and a whole other world. While Marrakech is well-documented, beach resorts like Essaouira to the west are not, despite this fortified township being on the UNESCO list. Great for watersports like windsurfing, Essaouira has a casual, backpacker-style ambience while still being family-friendly. Bargain for your grocery shopping to save money and soak up the unique experiences of the street markets and fishing harbours.
Storage Secrets for Staging your House
The Following Article is a Guest Post. If you’re interested in submitting a guest post please contact me.
Did you know that Professional Stagers (consultants hired to style a property and help it achieve a top price) often clear out more than 50% of a home’s contents when trying to get the sale? We all know the importance of depersonalising a home – buyers need to picture themselves living in your house – especially when more of us are selling our own properties. So why are most houses on the market so cluttered? There are several reasons. Moving home is a messy time with people packing or organising their belongings – this can mean boxes in the hallway and piles of clothes heaped in bedroom. Most houses don’t have the extra storage space to hide clutter from potential buyers either. However, with a little planning we can make a home feel much more spacious. Here’s how:
Why You Should Visit St. Lucia ~ ‘The Emerald Isle’
The small beautiful Caribbean island of St. Lucia attracts tourists all year round. Why do so many visitors choose St. Lucia as their one stop vacation destination? The logo ‘Simply Beautiful’ says it all. If you’re looking for a vacation in a beautiful, warm, tropical location then you’ve reached the right place. Not only does St. Lucia have the perfect weather; it is also a striking and romantic paradise beyond compare. St. Lucia isn’t only known for its amazing weather and stunning scenery though, there are also an array of attractions, activities and sightseeing tours on the exquisite island of St. Lucia.
The Twin Peaks
One place that is much talked about by tourists who have visited St. Lucia is the World Heritage Site of ‘The Twin Peaks’. The Twin Peaks of Gros Piton and Petit Piton are breathtaking to say the least. I don’t think words can describe the twin peaks; they are something which you’ll have to see in person. One thing that is guaranteed is that they will take your breath away. These mountainous twin peaks are located near the towns of Soufriere and Choiseul on the southwestern coast of St. Lucia. The twin peaks are also a very famous attraction for those with a love of the outdoors and are marked with the footsteps of hikers and mountain climbers. If you’re in St. Lucia and you haven’t yet seen these gorgeous green peaks, then your vacation hasn’t even begun. Please don’t resist climbing these gems; the view from above is remarkable.
Family Happiness or Financial Security ~ Which Would You Choose?
Well after 7 years of trying Mrs.B has finally got her way and dragged the kids and I over to the other side of the UK so that she can be closer to her family. Whilst I wouldn’t say that we’ve been dragged kicking and screaming (Well not the kids anyway) it certainly has been a tough decision and it’s one that has been hanging over our heads for a long time. Why was it so tough? What makes every decision so tough? Money!!
Those of you who read Money Bulldog regularly will know that I’ve spent the last 10 years of my life running my own business, a business that has allowed us to maintain a relatively good standard of living. When you’ve spent such a long time establishing a business and building up a very loyal customer base it can be tough to leave all that behind and start over.
The other financial roadblock we faced was what on earth to do with our house. Mrs.B and I have been married for over 6 years now and a good chunk of that time was spent renovating a house we bought just after we got married. When we bought our house the housing market was booming and not many people would have envisaged the financial crisis that, unfortunately for us, was just around the corner. As has been the case for many people who own their own home the ongoing housing market downturn presented us with some tough decisions to make, of which the main one was this. Do we stay in a house that we love and have put our heart and soul into renovating just because we might not see a great financial return considering the money we’d spent and the work that we’d put into the house, or, do we sell the house for less than we would ideally like to just to make the move across the country possible?
